Lord of the Circus
by GrimsClockwork
Summary: The fellowship has been traveling for ages and is really down in the dumps, they need something to cheer them up and what better then magic mushrooms and a circus. Please R&R, i want all comments, good and bad
1. Chapter 1: Shrooms

Title: Lord of the Circus

Title: Lord of the Circus

Author: GrimsClockwork

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story; they either belong to Tolkien or Walt Disney. This story refrences Anthony Burgess, the Beatles, and a few movies.

Rating: T (for language and drug refrences)

Summary: The fellowship has been traveling for ages and is really down in the dumps, they need something to cheer them up and what better then a circus

Authors Note: I wasn't on pot or drunk when I wrote this I swear!! This story is for me, it's my tribute to my favorite movies of all time: Dumbo and Freaks. Please R&R, I love getting feed back, good or bad.

**Chapter 1: Shrooms!!**

It had been a rough couple of weeks for the fellowship. They had been traveling for weeks and that horrid ring was taking its toll on everyone. The negative energy the ring produced was spreading to everyone like a noxious gas, and it seemed to cause a weird sort of negative chain reaction among the fellowship. Frodo hadn't said a word in almost a week; he didn't even seem to look anywhere but his feet anymore. As a direct result of Frodo's depression Sam would randomly start crying. Boromir seemed to think that the way to deal with Sam's crying was to yell at him. Merry and Pippin became increasingly ruder to Boromir because they hated to see Sam mistreated. Aragorn was stuck in the middle. He hated seeing Sam being yelled at but his crying was so damn annoying that he only half-heartedly tried to stop Boromir. Legolas absorbed all the negative energy like a blonde sponge and took to keeping his distance from all of them. Gimli had taken to tailing Legolas. Even Gandalf didn't feel like smoking his pipe anymore.

The sky was quickly going dark, but for some reason no one wanted to be the first to say it was time to stop. Finally Sam timidly said, "Perhaps we should stop for the night."

"What is the little hobbit to sleepy to continue," Boromir said mockingly.

"Hey," Merry interjected. "He's not the one whose been slowing us up for the last hour and a half-hour."

"Excuse me," Boromir said scathingly

"Yeah," Pippin said. "See that snail over there? He says you're the one going to slow."

Before Boromir could say anything to this statement Aragorn cut in. "Sam's right we should stop."

Sam let out a small sigh of relief, and all of them settled down for the night. Legolas looked around at the group of Debbie-Downers he was calling his companions. This really was getting annoying, if there's one thing the elf couldn't stand it was this much negative energy. He would be willing to kiss Boromir if it meant that everyone would just cheer up a little. He desperately wanted something to happen to change the mood, anything. His musings where cut off by Boromir's angry voice.

"I'm starving, isn't there anything besides that crappy elf bread to eat."

Legolas looked around and spotted a patch of mushrooms. He pointed them out to the others. Merry, Pippin, and Boromir came over and ate some. Legolas ate the few that where left. A few minutes after they at the mushrooms, Aragorn began to notice that something was a little off with those that had eaten the mushrooms; they where all looking around them with awed looks on their faces.

"Are you guys ok" he said sounding nervous. He didn't get an answer, at least not a verbal one. Merry and Pippin where looking at their hands as though they where the most intense things they had ever seen. Boromir has curled himself up into the fetal position and was looking truly terrified. Legolas has stood up and was looking at the trees and the sky with a dazed look on his face. The rest of the fellowship had noticed the strange behavior and where growing concerned.

"Hey hobbits," Gimli said to Merry and Pippin to whom he was closest. "What are you high or something?"

"Wow…when did the night get so bright," Merry said to no one in particular.

"Look at all the colors man," Pippin said.

"Yes Gimli," Gandalf said chuckling. "I think have eaten magic mushrooms."

"I am he is you are he is you are me and we are all together," Legolas said dreamily dancing on the spot.

"JESUS CHRIST ON A BIKE," Gimli exclaimed. "What are we suppose to do?!"

"All we can do is wait for the effects to wear off, since they didn't eat much it shouldn't take more then a few hours."

Sam noticed that Boromir still looked scared, not fully understanding why he cared he turned to Gandalf and said, "Boromir isn't looking well Mr. Gandalf"

"He's just having a bad trip, clearly a direct result of his bad mood. Don't worry we just have to keep an eye on him and everything would be fine." Gandalf said wisely as he lit up his pipe.

The non-shrooming members of the fellowship where less then happy that they not had to be baby sitters, but they couldn't help but be entertained by their behavior. Sam couldn't help but feel some grim satisfaction at Boromir's situation. _"Karmas a bitch isn't it?"_ he thought to himself.


	2. Chapter 2: Holy crap whats that

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING

Authors note: not high or drunk…just very sleepy, and the Sideshow performers mentioned where real (may they rest in peace). Out of respect I choose to featured as I see them versus the negative way they where exhibited in real life.

Chapter 2: HOLY CRAP WHAT IS THAT!!

After a few hours the magic mushrooms had began to wear off. By the end of it everyone in the fellowship seemed to find it all rather amusing, and there was a definite rise in their spirits. Even Frodo smiled a little and Boromir's anger seemed to decrease. The morning dawned bright and sunny and the fellowship decided to take a much needed day off. They all enjoyed a rather relaxing day, but the effects of the ring could still be felt. By the end of the day the depression seemed to be setting in again. Oddly enough this time it was Legolas who seemed the most agitated when night started rolling around. He kept pacing back and forth, and looking around as if at an unseen source of the disturbance. Boromir and Gandalf had fallen asleep and Gimli, Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin where all sitting around a fire and discussing a children's story that was familiar to all of them: Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Due to the bad mood of the fellowship a discussion about a little reindeer had taken a weirdly serious turn.

"I don't care what any of you say, Rudolph rocks," Pippin said angrily.

"You now I have to call Rudolph's sexuality into question," Gimli said.

"What's that's supposed to mean?!" Pippin said looking at Gimli in shock.

"I agree," Merry said. Pippin glared in his direction. "I think he was a little light in the hooves, I mean he was small and had a girly voice..."

Before he could continue Pippin cut him off, "Rudolph had a girlfriend…Clarice…she said he was cute." The others sniggered and Pippin became angrier. "If anyone was gay it was that elf Herby. No straight elf has hair like that. You know what screw you guys."

Pippin stormed off leaving the other sitting there laughing. Aragorn got up and went over to Legolas.

"Your pacing is beginning to make me nervous," he said. "Is something wrong?"

"That music," Legolas burst out. "It's making me nuts."

"Music? What music?" Aragorn said in surprise. "I think your still shrooming my droog."

"No I am not!! I'm gonna go check it out." And with that he went off into the woods.

When Legolas didn't return for an hour Aragorn began to get concerned. He had his bow and knives with him so if he had been attacked he would have been able to defend himself. But what if he'd been ambushed? The others had fallen asleep when Legolas suddenly came running out of the woods with and expression of utmost glee on his face.

"Guy's Guy's wake up!" he yelled.

The fellowship woke up and stared around. "what's going on," Aragorn said.

"You guys have to come with me right now, your never going to believe what I found. Come on lets go." He had barley uttered the last word before running into the woods again. The fellowship was to over come with curiosity to resist and they followed him into the woods. It wasn't long before they became aware of upbeat music filling the air.

"See I told you I wasn't imagining the music," Legolas said from the front of the group.

"I've heard that tune before, what is it?" Sam asked.

"I think its circus music," Merry said. Before the rest could figure out if he was right or not they went through a bunch of trees and where met by a dazzling sight. It was a gigantic illuminated blue and white tent.

"HOLY CRAP WHAT IS THAT!" Gimli yelled in surprise.

"It's a circus tent dingbat," Legolas laughed. The others remained silent taking in the sight of the tent. It was massive, with a large opening that was flooded with yellow light. On either side of the door were posters advertising various acts. Under a banner labeled "Freakshow" where large loopy letters spelling out: "Come see living breathing wonders of nature. Featuring Johnny Eck: the living Half-Boy and most amazing man alive. Josephine-Joseph: half-man half-women, truly amazing. Schlitze: the adorable pin-head, guaranteed to make your heart melt. And much much more!!" Under another banner labeled "Main Attraction" was a picture of a baby elephant with giant ears, the same loopy letters where the words: See Dumbo the world's only flying elephant.

"Did you ever see an elephant fly??" Pippin said to the group at large.

"Well, I seen a horsefly," Merry replied.

"And I seen a dragonfly," Sam said grinning.

"Yeah, I seen a housefly," Aragorn laughed.

"Yeah, I seen all that too," Legolas said gleefully. But I be done seen 'bout ev'rything when I see a elephant fly.

"Let's go let's go!" Merry said. And the fellowship eagerly agreed and headed in. everyone except for Boromir that is. He just stood there with a sour expression on his face.

"I'm not going in there; this is the stupidest crap I've ever seen." He said to Legolas who was the only one still outside. Legolas raised an eye brow at him and Boromir continued, "What do I wanna see a flying elephant and a bunch of freaks for?"

Legolas grinned, "I'll tell you what, after we go to the circus, well go back to pulling that stick out of your ass." Then laughing merrily he pushed Boromir into the shower of yellow light and music and trotting in after him.

Chapter Three coming soon!!


	3. Chapter 3: Oh wellI guess its all good

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING

Authors note: not high or drunk. All the Sideshow performers mentioned where real (may they rest in peace). Out of respect I choose to featured them as I see them, in a state of pure awesomeness, versus the negative way they where exhibited in real life. I tried to portray them as truthfully as possible, and I think it would benefit the readers to Google them.

Chapter 3: Oh well…I guess it's all good

Even Boromir had to admit that inside the tent was truly awesome. In the center was a giant ring with stadium seating on three sides of it. The side that wasn't devoted to seating has a smaller tent with a large banner reading "FREAK SHOW." And all over the place there was small food stands giving off a strong smell of deep fried grease. In the large ring stood a large grey elephant that was surrounded by nervous looking children. All clearly wanting to get closer, but not quite being able to work up the courage.

"Christ, I've never seen so many humans in one place," Legolas said looking around. The tent was filled with hundreds of individuals of all shapes, sizes, and ages. All of the people where looking incredibly happy and the whole place gave off and air of pure joy. Something that the fellowship just couldn't help but absorb, they suddenly had trouble keeping in their excitement.

"OOO I want to go in their," Pippin said pointing at the Freak Show tent.

"I want some cotton candy," Sam said eyeing the pink food cart eagerly.

"Hey, where did Legolas go?" Aragorn said looking around.

"Dammit he keeps doing that, he needs a bloody leash," Boromir said angrily.

"Only you could manage to be in a bad mood in a place like this," Aragorn laughed.

"He's over there," Frodo said pointing toward the Center Ring. Seeing as how this was the first thing Frodo had said in seven days, the Fellowship looked at him and not at the center ring.

"I believe we should collect Legolas before he gets us thrown out." Gandalf said looking over at the center ring, where Legolas had managed to get past the elephants keeper and climb on its back.

"Sir I believe you should climb down now. He really doesn't like that." The keeper was saying looking positively terrified.

It was clear to the fellowship however that the elephant wasn't agitated in the slightest. Legolas was sitting on it like it was a horse and scratching its head, which the elephant was clearly enjoying. The fellowship made its way over and Aragorn approached the elephant looked up at Legolas and said, "Come on down Leggie, the shows about to start."

"Alright," Legolas said sliding down gracefully. "And don't call me Leggie."

The Fellowship made their way to the stadium seats and sat in the center about three rows from the front. Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Merry, Frodo, and Boromir sat down while Merry and Sam went off to get cotton candy. They came back looking rather annoyed.

"What happened to you two?" Frodo asked them.

"Well not only did one cotton candy cost 4 dollars, but on our way over here that guy over there stopped us and said, 'hey you two get back into the freak tent right now the shows about to start.' I don't even know what he meant." Pippin said looking confused.

"He thought you where midgets, you know really short humans. They've always been a popular staple in Freak Shows." Legolas told him.

"Oh…" Pippin said looking as confused as ever.

"4 dollars for one cotton candy, this better be the best cotton candy in the world," Sam said angrily taking a bite. He paused after he swallowed it and glared over at the cotton candy vendor. "He got lucky."

The lights suddenly went dim and the show began. It started with about a dozen clowns running around the ring and performing their antics. Merry buried his face in his hands; he later confessed that he was terrified of clowns. Five male and one female trapeze artists flipped through the air to awes and oo's from the crowd.

"It's raining men," Legolas whispered to Aragorn.

"Halleluiah," Aragorn replied.

The tight rope walker's stunts made Sam incredible nervous, and when the fire eaters came out he almost passed out. When the dancing horses and elephants came out Legolas became rather depressed. He felt making animals dance like that was wrong. His mood was lifted again when Dumbo the flying elephant flew around the ring and tent. They noticed that Boromir had tears in his eyes.

"Dude, are you crying?" Legolas said in shock.

"NO!" Boromir said looking away.

"Something about a flying baby elephant just makes one wanna cry doesn't it." Legolas said grinning.

The show ended and the Fellowship made their way to the Freak Show tent. There was a small stage inside and they sat down in front of it.

"And now ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present living wonders of nature, nothing you have ever seen will prepare you for this." The James Earl Jones sounding announcer said. May I present the one and only Josephine Joseph. But I ask you this, is it a man or a women?"

It became instantly clear that this was a very good question. The curtain on the stage opened to reveal a woman in a black too-tooish dress facing the right, so only the profile was visible. She had white skin and curly ear length dark brown hair. Then she turned to the left t reveal the other side of her face, the simple act of turning was met with a giant awe from the crowd. The right side of the face was clearly male. The hair on this side was short and slicked back. He was wearing a tarzanish, leopard spotted leotard. When he she turned to face forward, it truly looked to be split down the middle, half-man half-women. Then he/she bowed to the stunned audience and walked off the stage. Before leaving the she side gave Boromir an alluring look.

"I think she likes you," Legolas sniggered.

"But he don't," Boromir growled.

"That was mean, jeez. I must say that was pretty awesome." Merry said.

"And now I would like to present a man who can only be called the King of the Freaks, Mr. Johnny Eck."

"OH WOW!" The fellowship exclaimed. Wow was the only word that summed up Johnny Eck. He walked onto the stage; well walk may not be the right word as Johnny didn't have legs. He appeared to have been sawed off at the base of his ribs and he walked around on his hands. Once one got over the shock of seeing a man walking without legs, they could notice that he was exceptionally handsome and had a very intelligent face and a smile that could light up a room. His act consisted of walking a tight rope and performing various acrobatics. He took a bow and left the stage to tumultuous applause and cheers. The show continued and the fellowship sat in awe. They saw the conjoined twins **Daisy and Violet Hilton, the living skeleton Peter Robinson, Olga Roderick** the Bearded Lady, JoJo the dog-faced boy, and **Frances O'Connor **the Living Venus de Milo.

"And now I would like to present the final act in our show." The Ringmaster said. "Now for your viewing pleasure the always delightful Schlitze!" A small man in a flowered moo moo peaked out around the curtain. He was about 4 feet tall and was slightly stooped. He walked over to the ring master with his hands up near his face. His head was unusually small and almost pin shaped.

"Now Schlitze here has a condition known as Microcephaly, and is mentally at the level of a three-year-old." The little man was without a doubt the most adorable thing the fellowship had seen. Schlitze went on to perform a simple magic act that involved making a pair of oversized boxer shorts appear out of a seemingly empty bag. As the announcer pulled the shorts out of the "magic bag" Schlitze pointed at him and giggled hysterically. The sight was so adorable the whole audience was in stitches. Even Boromir was having trouble containing how much he liked Schlitze.

As the fellowship left the tent they couldn't stop talking about how much they loved everything. Even Frodo was joining in, laughing and smiling. As Gandalf counted heads he noticed that one of their numbers was missing. He alerted the others to this fact.

"I told you Legolas needs a leash," Boromir said. And the fellowship turned around and went to look for him. They found him in the freak tent. He was sitting down having what looked like a very nice conversation with Johnny Eck. As they called him over, something caught Boromir by surprise. Schlitze had come up behind him and was smiling and looking at him rather intently.

"I think he likes you," Legolas said as he came over grinning. The ring master called Schlitze over and before leaving Schlitze gave Boromir a big hug. Boromir stood rooted to the spot in shock. When he came back to his senses he fallowed the others outside.

"Well I see the circus did a number on cheering you up Frodo." Legolas said and Frodo looked back at the tent with a smile on his face. "How about you Boromir?"

"Oh well…I guess its all good." Boromir said with a smile. "Sorry I've been such a bitch lately." The others all laughed and they continued on their quest to Mt. Doom.


End file.
